A shameless gay clergyman on Saturday became the first ordained priest to break the Church of England’s ban on same-sex marriages to wed his partner.
Canon Jeremy Pemberton, who is a hospital chaplain in Lincolnshire, is reported to have married his long-term gay partner Laurence Cunnington in a ceremony at a hotel Saturday, describing the nuptials as “a lovely wedding”.
Last month, same-sex marriages became legal in England and Wales after a change in the law was voted in by MPs.
However, the Church of England, while advising its clergy to offer pastoral support to members of their congregation in same-sex marriages, barred gay ordained priests from being wed.
The House of Bishops’ pastoral guidance on same-sex marriage, issued in February, reads: “It considers that it would not be appropriate conduct for someone in holy orders to enter into a same-sex marriage, given the need for clergy to model the church’s teaching in their lives.”
Canon Pemberton, who is divorced with five children, took to Twitter – earlier posting a picture of himself and partner Mr Cunnington, both smiling, while “leaving for our honeymoon” – to comment: “It was a lovely wedding.”
He added: “Marriage is wonderful.”
It will be recalled that a gay MP Conors Burns most recently challenged a Bishop in Portsmouth, England to bless him with the Holy Communion after spearheading and voting in favour of gay marriage in Parliament.
